AMERICAN ACCENT

Hokitika Guardian, 25 October 1929, Page 7

AMERICAN ACCENT

EFFECT ON CHILDREN. Difficulties in the path ’ of those who are anxious to prevent any harmful effect which American talking pictures may have on New Zealand speech, especially among; children, were explained by Mr. J. William 'Bailey, of Wanganui, who is judging the elocution classes at the competitions festival now being held in Auckland. “It is almost hopeless to v try 7 to combat it,” said -Mr Bailey. ■ Eight years ago Mr Bailey was in 4-merica playing with the Metropolitan Opera Company, during its season at St. Louis, where, it-appeared -in an open-air theatre seating .9000 persons. After his return to London, Mr Bailey saidy his friends remarked that Jus stay in the United States had affected his speech slightly, and that there was a trace of the accent ill his voice. “Fortunately,” lie sririled, “I have not been there so long that it was difficult to lose it again.”

Ordinary speech, used every day by people to Avhom one is v speaking, creeps into the subconscious mind, Mr Bailey declares. Looking at a screen, and listening to the voices of the characters avlio appeared on it, cue concentrated, and an indelible impression was left on the milid. Also, children were naturally, imitative, and it was only to be expected that they would attempt to reproduce wliat they remembered from a talking picture entertainment: by listening earnestly to every word they had been able to catch.

“When the first talking picture was, presented,” said Mr Bailey, “there was one sigh,- ‘Oh-o-o-o-o,’ from the audience. It is not heard in theatres to-day. People have become accustomed to the unusual speech of the Americans, find accept it without any comment. It is regrettable, but. .it is to be feared that the accent will become part of children’s speech. It appeals to the mimicry in their natures, and they will not easily forget it. To attempt to combat this effect by elocution is almost hopeless. Not all parents can afford to have their children taught elocution. The majority of children . have two hours of pictures every week, and the children of those people who can afford one elocution lesson a week are thinkingduring most of that half-hour of next Saturday’s matinee. “It is important that the schools should not be blamed if no definite and scheduled effort is made to wipe this accent from children’s speech/'' continued Mr Bailey. “The schools already have as much as they can do. They are helping, though,' and teachers are doing what they can by correcting children whenever they notice the fault. The best remedy is the competitions festival. Children are there for tlieir own betterment, but undeniably they are there to try to win prizes also, and to win prizes they must pronounce their words correctly.”